18 Game Schedule.. Good or Bad?

[firstdown]

My wife actually gets the Skins schedule and plans our stuff around all of their games so another two games would be nice. More Football + More Redskins= More Beer Drinking

[MTK]

The only thing worse than 1 bye week is 2. Remember in '93 when there were 2 byes? Ugh.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

its not two more games. there are 20 games players had to practice for in the current setup. there will be 20 games players have to practice for in the 18 game season. in the new system, they'll just be preparing for regular season games instead of pre-season games.

True, it's not two more games but unless they shorten training camp it's still the same amount of time players will have to practice.

Big issue for the players will be post-career health insurance

[MTK]

Could we see the end of training camp as we know it? With all the offseason work I don't think a full camp is even necessary anymore. At the least I think two a days will be out the window.

[irish]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Could we see the end of training camp as we know it? With all the offseason work I don't think a full camp is even necessary anymore. At the least I think two a days will be out the window.

The way I knew training camp as a kid has been over for awhile. I dont really see the point of training camp as being an NFL player is pretty much a full time job now.

[skinsfanthru&thru]

I don't like this for 4 reasons:

1.) This increases the chance for player injuries and wear and tear to cost teams key players more frequently. And by reducing the offseason duration you diminish the possiblities of rookies getting up to speed with the NFL and finding those diamonds in the rough because you have less time to put them through the ropes. Because of this you might have to move the draft up 2-3 weeks and/or have more rookie mini camps.

2.) Salaries are already completely insane compared to 10-15 years ago and I can't even begin to imagine how much they'd increase if you add on 2 more regular season games to that contract especially when it comes to the guaranteed money.

3.) Statisticly this will further water down stats we've all held as the standards for HOF consideration and completely change a lot of the all time records. I think it was Stuart Scott on ESPN who broke it down that if they went to a 18 game season, a RB would only need to average 56 yards per game to get to 1,000 for the season!

4.) One of the main things I love about the NFL is how every single regular season game matters so much more than any other sport out there. 1 NFL game has the same weight as 10 MLB or 5 NBA games and nothing compares to the joy of a Skins victory or the weight of a loss because each week could be the key to the season's outcome.

[rypper11]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

1. Every team gets two bye weeks. As a consequence of this, we'll now have 20 weeks of regular season football to watch instead of just 17. Football season is my favorite time of the year, so i'm all about adding a few weeks.

2. Increase roster sizes and/or allow the full roster to be eligible to play on gamedays.

3. Change IR rules to allow players to come back from IR during the regular season.

4. Provide some kind of incentive for playoff-bound teams to play starters during the final weeks of the regular season. My suggestion - have the last 4 weeks of a teams schedule be divisional games.

5. On the flip side of the previous suggestion, have the first few games of the regular season be non-conference games for every team. these games are less important from a tie-breaking standpoint, and should be played near the beginning of the season to allow teams to "Gear up" more for the "more important" regular season games to be played later in the year.

I like these suggestions but would add a couple more. You should be allowed to remove a certain number of players from IR. Training camp reduced to 2-3 weeks. 2-3 OTA's with no pads (mandatory). NFL players today don't need to get into shape, they just need to learn systems and playbooks.

[skinsnut]

I think 18 games is a good idea...although some feel this is strictly about money...think of it this way.....the vast majority of the time a fan's team does not make the playoffs and they only have 16 games to enjoy...2 more would be far better...especially since they are playing them anyways...the problem would be when to play them....August is hot...very hot....would these games be friday night games?

Also...I agree with you guys about needing more roster spots...I say anywhere from 5-10 more. There is really no reason to restrict this...all it does is cut careers short and hurts depth and eliminates specialists.
I would bet that teams would get a kickoff specialist, pass rush specialist...and they would carry a separate PR and KR and always a 3rd QB and maybe a 4th RB.
Think of what that would do for special teams and 3rd string development....not to mention you could carry an older LB or lineman into mid thirties that is talented.

I honestly dont know why we couldn't have 75 players on a squad...there is amazing situational talent out there. Years ago there were 14 rounds of the draft (I believe) and teams still kept undrafted free agents...think of all the other leagues out there and now there is no more NFL Europe. Only 200 or so college kids are drafted and talented older NFL players are cut prematurely...it is stupid.

And if we do go to 18 games, we will need both vets and rookies to play a part. I dont think there would be a drop off in talent at all....in fact....new stars could develop and careers of older impressive players could evolve into situational great quality depth....that ultimately could transition into positional coaching.

Not changing a schedule due to keeping stats comparable is dumb.
They should do what is right for the fans...that is why the sport exists.
This is purely entertainment folks.

[Hog1]

It's not about the quality of the game, it's all about the loot........

[mlmpetert]

I am completely against it. I think 16 games is enough and I think as Carson Palmer pointed out additional games dilute the meaning of each game played. One thing about football that doesn’t really translate to any other team sport is the importance each game holds. People bitch and complain when teams rest their starters for the last game of the season after they have locked up a playoff spot. I think that practice will increase.

I get the argument from a season ticket holders persepective, but honestly 16 games is enough. I mean Goodwell is already making the game less physical, if 18 games comes about Im sure its going to get even worse.

[Monkeydad]

I'm going to say NO, plus adding that we should reduce the preseason to 3 games while keeping the 16 game schedule.

A 2-game preseason would not be enough for evaluation purposes for roster battles, which I think is the main purpose for the exhibition games.

However, I think 18 games, unless they build in 2 bye weeks per team and expanded rosters to say, 57 or 58 players, is too much of a physical toll on the players, especially teams in the playoffs.

We don't want to be watching 3rd-string players in the playoffs and late battles for postseason berths.

Also, we don't want to end up shortening players' careers, especially RBs, by a year or two just to have a longer season.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

I fully support eliminating two preseason games. Presently, a full 20% of the NFL's 20-game schedule is devoted meaningless games - its retarded. The players don't like it. The coaches don't really need it. The owners and fans hate it. So, its pretty much universally agreed upon that the NFL needs to lose 2 preseason games.

Now, if we get rid of two preseason games, there are really just two choices - 1. Leave the 16 game regular season and cut player salaries to compensate for lost revenue. 2. convert those two meaningless preseason games into two regular season games. Starters generally play about 6 quarters of football in the preseason anyways, so its not like they'll really be playing that much more.

Scenario 2 makes the most sense. Now, there are things to do to make the longer regular season less grinding on the players:

1. Every team gets two bye weeks. As a consequence of this, we'll now have 20 weeks of regular season football to watch instead of just 17. Football season is my favorite time of the year, so i'm all about adding a few weeks.

2. Increase roster sizes and/or allow the full roster to be eligible to play on gamedays.

3. Change IR rules to allow players to come back from IR during the regular season.

4. Provide some kind of incentive for playoff-bound teams to play starters during the final weeks of the regular season. My suggestion - have the last 4 weeks of a teams schedule be divisional games.

5. On the flip side of the previous suggestion, have the first few games of the regular season be non-conference games for every team. these games are less important from a tie-breaking standpoint, and should be played near the beginning of the season to allow teams to "Gear up" more for the "more important" regular season games to be played later in the year.

Rather than IR, change to a MLB-like Disabled List...with 4 and 8-week options where the roster spot can be filled with an active player? If someone is hobbled by a 2 or 3-week injury, they'll just be taking up an unused roster spot like right now. The IR could be retained for players who DEFINITELY aren't returning this season.

[skinsnut]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

4. Provide some kind of incentive for playoff-bound teams to play starters during the final weeks of the regular season. My suggestion - have the last 4 weeks of a teams schedule be divisional games.

I like this idea.

Also, keep in mind Ease of Schedule could be made much more equitable with 2 more games.

The way the schedule is currently set up is that you have 6 rivalry games and then you play 2 other divisions of 8 games.
That is 14 games right there out of 16...the other 2 games are typically ones that help a little with ease of schedule issues depending on prior year team results. That usually doesn't make things equitable.

This system does not currently work well....with 2 more games, ease of schedule would be a better fit.

(I know...you guys may say a last placed team in one division plays last in another...but that doesn't mean that team sucks....sometimes they are 8-8...otherwise explain why our 4-12 team has such a hard schedule!)

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I am completely against it. I think 16 games is enough and I think as Carson Palmer pointed out additional games dilute the meaning of each game played. One thing about football that doesn’t really translate to any other team sport is the importance each game holds. People bitch and complain when teams rest their starters for the last game of the season after they have locked up a playoff spot. I think that practice will increase.

I get the argument from a season ticket holders persepective, but honestly 16 games is enough. I mean Goodwell is already making the game less physical, if 18 games comes about Im sure its going to get even worse.

unless youre one of those fans that ignore the preseason altogether and pretend it doesnt exist, nothing is being diluted. we're not adding any games. were taking two completely meaningless preseason games and moving them to a meaningful regular season.

as far as the regular season itself goes, adding two games won't dilute the meaning of each game appreciably. its not like were talking about turning into football, baseball or hockey, and playing 4 games a week for six months. we're just shifting two games around in the existing schedule.

[rypper11]

Having an 18 game season would make a developmental league even more important. Eliminating or reducing training camp and reducing preseason would hamper the shot of undrafted rookies and other longshots. This should further increase team revenue. My idea of this is each team in the developmental league has players allocated by NFL teams and play on Saturdays. Ex. Skins and Ravens each allocate 20 players to a team that plays on Saturdays in the Fall after the NFL season starts for 10 weeks. Thus, each team can have 73 players (allow 50 to dress on Sundays) while the other 20 can be brought to the active roster after the developmental league season is over. If a team wants to sign one of the Skins allocated players to their current roster the Skins have the right to either put him on their roster or let him go to the new team.